Having worked closely with property managers since our inception 12 years ago, it was perhaps no surprise that some property managers (like us) opened up a conversation about moving supplier side with EK.
For EK, they were receiving fresh, malleable and energetic employees, passionate about becoming surveyors with considerable block management knowledge and experience behind them – perfect for speaking the same language as the clients. And for us, we were following our long-held dream to become building surveyors, taking our transferrable skills with us and excited about learning a whole set of new ones.
The three of us got together to compare our experiences of making the transition, of the differences between being a property manager and a surveyor, how our perception of block management has changed since moving on – and we quickly realised that we had content for many articles! So here are just some of our thoughts and we promise to write again.
It’s an unfortunate fact – especially since the lockdowns – that leaseholders do not necessarily want to take the word of a property manager at face value, hence the importance of bringing in the experts to hear the news from the horse’s mouth. We’re always happy to attend your RMC/RTM meetings to support you.
It’s fair to say the three of us saw the value in planning ahead as property managers, meaning we encouraged our clients to collect and hold healthy reserve funds, to commission 5-10 year planned maintenance programmes (PMP) and capital expenditure plans (capex), and to start section 20 processes as early as possible – even 12 months in advance of works starting on site. As surveyors, our views haven’t changed and we’re now in a position to guide PMs – especially junior ones – in executing a longer-term outlook for their leaseholders’ hard-earned service charges.
Looking in from the outside, block management has undoubtedly become more challenging from a service charge perspective. Record high inflation and supply chain issues means major works contractors are either building in higher contingencies when tendering or withdrawing their prices if the section 20 consultations and/or funding takes too long, all the more important then to review the PMP/capex yearly in time to adjust the budget and accumulate a healthy balance which should pay for the works in full.
As for day-to-day expenditure, we can see the pressure you are under the keep a lid on the service charge totals when suppliers are increasing their prices. As surveyors, we see this as an opportunity to encourage property managers to be more proactive and long term in their approach – although the residents may need to hear that from us directly!
As property managers, we were all guilty to some extent of taking our suppliers for granted. Now that we are suppliers rather than managers, we can see the importance of supporting the surveyor in delivering the best result for the client and residents, so in providing surveyors with lots of information (a copy lease, accurate access information, H&S risk assessments, asset registers for M&E services, O&Ms, reserve funds held, details of current or historic issues, disputes, floor plans, special features) we’re better placed to deliver for you and your client.
Without a doubt, having been property managers prior to joining Earl Kendrick stands us in excellent stead to understand and empathise with you. With our surveying degrees under our belts, and whilst we get MRICS-qualified and improve our technical knowledge on the job, we are surrounded by supportive MRICS surveyors who we learn from daily – and in turn, they draw upon our block management insight. Sharing our freshly acquired technical knowledge with property managers is really important to the three of us, so we enjoy taking part in free CPD sessions – and you can contact any of us to have a tailored session put together, whether you need help with major works organisation, cladding consultancy, historic building repair, retrofit upgrades, apartment alterations, RCAs, or defects diagnosis from rope access or aerial drones!
Natalie Rubinstein, EK North/Midlands
Rachel Fitchett, EK North/Midlands
Sharif Rajabally, EK London
